(5 hours ago)Storx wrote See I'd kinda argue the opposite for the X45/47, they're a combined corridor for most of the route and the current numbers don't shout that at all imo. They badly need to be next to each other and advertised as one as a 15 minute service rather than two 30 minute services. 

The 47 is a silly bus route though as it's unacceptably long from end to end and people at the Consett side don't have an alternative either and runs 3 minutes in front of the X45 at the Consett side. 

It's a corridor which badly needs to be restored to the pre covid timetable with the 45/46/47 imo, even if you tried something different - serving Medomsley and different parts of Shotley Bridge - or whatever. They've always got healthy loads whenever I see them tbh so it's not like it's increasing a dead corridor and if it ends being reduced to single deckers at the same time then so be it.

As a local i completely agree. The withdrawal of the X46 with the replacement of the 47 is completely unfair on Bridgehill residents. 
Alongside this peak time is a pain if one X45 is cancelled at 7:15 or 7:50 those who live on that corridor cannot get into town before 9am as the 47 takes so long and is infrequent on a morning (most journeys begin at blackhall mill) 

The first iteration of the 47 was probably most beneficial via Shotley Bridge Hospital continuing along the old V9 route. 
Many residents relied/utilised the V3/4/9 and some sections of the route passengers only have the choice of the 773 within a short walking distance, many who are quite old due to there being no service. (Woodlands road + number one roundabout)

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(2 hours ago)X919 WGR wrote See thats would it would have to be as that was the result as to why the V5 was removed. The 47A replaced it at that time which then caused GNE to create the V3 between Medomsley/The Dene & Consett going through Shotley (i think).

I think some possible simple solutions GNE could come up with to try and at least calm down the 45 & 47 especially with more common Enviro 200MMC Allocations

So here's what I would do.

I won't do timings for these suggestions.

- Withdraw Services V1 & V2 since Venture is no longer being continued and remove the Town Centre --> Crookhall section of the V5.
- Have the 47 be extended to Crookhall & Delves Lane to cover the V1/V2 circular & V5 chunk.
- Change the V5 to Start at Templetown/Hownsgill Depot and run through this order: Hownsgill --> Consett --> Shotley Bridge --> Hospital --> Shotley Bridge Bank (Summerhill) --> The Dene --> Medomsley. This will remove the 16 to Shotley Extension. Also route does not need to be named the V5. Could be the C1 or a random number or even be the same
                                                                                                   (replaces V5 from Consett to Medomsley)
- Reintroduce the 47A as either 46 or 45A. Runs between Consett --> Leadgate --> Bradley Bungalows --> Medomsley --> Ebchester Bank --> Lintzford --> Rowlands Gill --> Metrocentre --> Newcastle Eldon Square. Reintroduces the Metrocentre & Rowlands Gill link for Leadgate to Medomsley for the 3rd time in the past 20 years.


Summarised.
- Reintroduced Links to Metrocentre & Newcastle for Delves Lane
- V5 becomes a Shotley Circular
- An Additional Metrocentre Bus for Leadgate & Medomsley

Its not a lot but could just quieten down some of the 45 journeys

Good on paper however extending an already long service to then serve delves lane seems silly. Short + frequent links from short circulars means that they will run more reliable and customers can connect with services into newcastle etc.